Bonum Certa Men Certa

Federation of International Civil Servants’ Associations Bemoans EPO Climate of “Fear, Threats, Intimidation or Retaliation”

Summary: The Federation of International Civil Servants’ Associations (FICSA) is “calling on the delegations of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation to intercede with EPO Management”

THERE is plenty to write (and unveil) today about the EPO, so we shall start with the easy stuff.



Last night (I stayed up until after 4) a request was made to transcribe this document [PDF] which is shown below as images:

FICSA letter



FICSA letter page 2



One person sent us a manual transcription:



FICSA Ref: 69th Council EPO Geneva, 12 February 2016

Dear Sir/Madam, I have the honour to share with you FICSA Resolution 69/4 calling on the delegations of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation to intercede with EPO Management in order to ensure that all staff representatives may defend the interests of staff without fear, threats, intimidation or retaliation and that the recently dismissed staff representatives and SUEPO officials be reinstated without delay. This Resolution was unanimously adopted by the members of the Federation of International Civil Servants’ Associations (FICSA) attending the 69th session of the Council at the headquarters of the ICAO in Montreal from 25 to 29 January 2016. The FICSA Council therefore requests your full support in ensuring that the above issue is properly addressed and that normal staff/management relations are restored at the European Patent Organisation. The Federation places high importance on healthy relations between management and staff representatives and as such looks forward to hearing from you in due course. Yours sincerely, Diab El Tabari President To: Ms. Elzbieta Bienkowska, EU Commissioner Mr. Battistelli, President of the EPO Council Secretariat SUEPO Central FICSA Executive Committee

Resolution 69/4 THE STATUS OF STAFF/MANAGEMENT RELATIONS AT THE EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE (EPO) The Council of the Federation of International Civil Servants’ Associations (FICSA) at its 69th Session (ICAO Montreal, 25 to 29 January 2016), Noting that in the course of 2014, 2015 and 2016, the basic principles of freedom of speech and right of association were severely undermined at the European Patent Office (EPO), Noting further that the President of the EPO went beyond the recommendations of the disciplinary committees and punished arbitrarily and disproportionally Ms. Elizabeth Hardon, Chair of the Local Staff Committee in Munich and Chair of the Staff Union of the EPO (SUEPO) Munich by dismissing her with a 20% cut of her pension rights and Mr. Ion Brumme, Member of the Central Staff Committee Munich and former chair or SUEPO Munich by dismissing him and Ms. Malika Weaver, Member of the Central Staff Committee in Munich and Treasurer of SUEPO Munich, by downgrading her 8 steps, Noting further that the recent deterioration in the working relations between EPO Management and the Staff Committee members has recently led to unfounded investigations and allegations which may lead to further retaliation, Calls upon the delegations of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation, in the interest of restoring effective staff/management relations and mutual respect, to intercede directly with the EPO Management in order to ensure that the dismissed staff representatives and SUEPO officials are reinstated without delay and that all staff representatives can defend the legitimate interests of staff without fear, threats, intimidation or retaliation in keeping with the basic principles of freedom of speech and right of association.



Another person wrote to us this morning: "Here's the requested OCR, that's easier than a translation [of a French article]. Practically zero polishing required, the source material is perfect."



Ref.: 69th Council EPO Geneva, 12 February 2016

FICSA Federation of International Civil Servants’ Associations

Fédération des associations de fonctionnaires internationaux

GENEVA FICSA Secretariat Room Dep.201 Palais des Nations CH-1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland

Telephone: (41 22) 917 3150 Facsimile: (41 22) 917 0660 Email: ficsa@unog.ch http://ficsa.org

Dear Sir/Madam,

I have the honour to share with you FICSA Resolution 69/4 calling on the delegations of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation to intercede with EPO Management in order to ensure that all staff representatives may defend the interests of staff without fear, threats, intimidation or retaliation and that the recently dismissed staff representatives and SUEPO officials be reinstated without delay. This Resolution was unanimously adopted by the members of the Federation of International Civil Servants’ Associations (FICSA) attending the 69th session of the Council at the headquarters of the ICAO in Montreal from 25 to 29 January 2016.

The FICSA Council therefore requests your full support in ensuring that the above issue is properly addressed and that normal staff/management relations are restored at the European Patent Organisation.

The Federation places high importance on healthy relations between management and staff representatives and as such looks forward to hearing from you in due course.

Yours sincerely,

Diab El Tabari President

To: Heads of Delegation to the European Patent Organisation Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation

Encl. cc. Ms. Elzbieta Biehkowska, EU Commissioner Mr. Battistelli, President of the EPO Council Secretariat SUEPO Central FICSA Executive Committee

Bioversity ● BIPM ● CERN ● CSSA ● CTBT0 ● ECB ● ES0 ● FA0 ● Global Fund ● IAEA ● IARC ● ICAO ● ICC0 ● ICO ● IFAD ● IL0/ITC Turin ● IM0 ● IOC ● I0M ● IPU ● ITER ● ITU ● 0PCW ● PAH0 ● SCBD ● UNAIDS ● UNESCO ● UNFCCC ● UNGSC ● UNRWA ● UNWT0 ● UPU ● WHO ● WIP0 ● WM0 ● WT0/0MC




Resolution 69/4

THE STATUS OF STAFF/MANAGEMENT RELATIONS AT THE EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE (EPO)

The Council of the Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations (FICSA) at its 69th Session (ICAO Montreal, 25 to 29 January 2016),

Noting that in the course of 2014, 2015 and 2016, the basic principles of freedom of speech and right of association were severely undermined at the European Patent Office (EPO),

Noting further that the President of the EPO went beyond the recommendations of the disciplinary committees and punished arbitrarily and disproportionally Ms. Elizabeth Hardon, Chair of the Local Staff Committee in Munich and Chair of the Staff Union of the EPO (SUEPO) Munich by dismissing her with a 20% cut of her pension rights and Mr. Ion Brumme, Member of the Central Staff Committee Munich and former chair of SUEPO Munich by dismissing him and Ms. Malika Weaver, Member of the Central Staff Committee in Munich and Treasurer of SUEPO Munich, by downgrading her 8 steps,

Noting further that the recent deterioration in the working relations between EPO Management and the Staff Committee members has recently led to unfounded investigations and allegations which may lead to further retaliation,

Calls upon the delegations of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation, in the interest of restoring effective staff/management relations and mutual respect, to intercede directly with the EPO Management in order to ensure that the dismissed staff representatives and SUEPO officials are reinstated without delay and that all staff representatives can defend the legitimate interests of staff without fear, threats, intimidation or retaliation in keeping with the basic principles of freedom of speech and right of association.



If someone starts writing an English translation of the article from France, please let us know so that we can reduce the chance of duplicate (simultaneous) efforts.

Recent Techrights' Posts

Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
 
Microsoft Layoffs and Closures Now Reported in Africa
Microsoft Uninstalls Nigeria as it closes African Development Centre (ADC) in Lagos
Support for harassment and abuse victims
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Gemini Links 09/05/2024: Being Sick Enough and End of “World of Ends“
Links for the day
Links 09/05/2024: 'Hey Hi' (AI) Bubble Implodes Some More, Microsoft Layoffs So Widespread It's Hard to Keep Track
Links for the day
Speaking of Enshittification and Freedom, We've Still Not Begun Tackling the UEFI 'Secure' Boot Mess (Preventing GNU/Linux From Even Booting!)
Microsoft continues to fly under the radar and commit competition crimes with impunity
Microsoft Has Just Confirmed Mass Layoffs in Nigeria, It Now Adds Insult to Injury With Price Hikes for Locals
It's not like Microsoft paid them good salaries
Software Enshittification or Freedom? It's not a hard choice!
Reprinted from Alexandre Oliva
Links 09/05/2024: More Microsoft Layoffs on the Way
Links for the day
Amid Microsoft Layoffs in Nigeria GNU/Linux Climbs Above 6% Market Share (Not Including ChromeOS)
Hundreds are being laid off by Microsoft in Nigeria, based on yesterday's reports
[Meme] Blame the Robots or the 'Hey Hi' (AI), It Always Works in Today's Media
Companies do not have financial troubles! They have "efficiencies"...
News Reports Say Many More Microsoft Layoffs on the Way, Rumours Say Red Hat Also Imminently a Target
Microsoft is slipping out of control
Links 09/05/2024: Diplomacy Efforts With China, AstraZeneca Stops Experimenting With COVID-19 Vaccines
Links for the day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, May 08, 2024
IRC logs for Wednesday, May 08, 2024
Gemini Links 09/05/2024: Registered Computer Professionals and TLS (The Long Slog)
Links for the day
Links 08/05/2024: Android Malware and "AI" Hype
Links for the day
[Meme] Technical Committee With People Who Are Not Technical
the computing/computer industry being occupied by people who lack suitable background
The Demise of Computer Science Education
Education is essential for the future; without it, whole nations will perish
[Video] Prisons for the Minds and for Tech Workers
Today's video talks about what happens to workforces (across disciplines) in recent years
[Meme] Struggling to Leave Its Nazi Past Behind
digital arson
Microsoft Declines to Talk About How Many People It Has Just Laid Off
Hours ago in IGN: "Microsoft did not say how many staff will lose their jobs, but significant layoffs are inevitable. IGN has asked Bethesda for comment. Microsoft declined to expand further when contacted by IGN."
Microsoft Windows in South America: From 99% to 87%
the latest from statCounter
It's Rather Obvious Why They Try to Silence Richard Stallman, Eben Moglen, and Daniel Pocock
Some of them already sent physically menacing messages to Daniel Pocock
IRC Network of Techrights Turns 3 (or 16 if We Count the Freenode Days)
In a few months IRC turns 36
Sedating Oneself (and Shareholders) With Fuzzy Buzzwords and Pointless Acquisitions
IBM trying to buy time
Clickfraud Spamnil Ran Out of Clickfraud Budget, Apparently
sooner or later charlatans and frauds run out of steam
Techrights Gets Under the Skin of Bad, Corrupt, Immoral People (That's a Good Thing)
Journalism is the lifeblood of democracy and free societies
Companies Do Not Shut Down Offices and Lay Off Staff en Masse (Morale and Reputation Issue) Unless They're in Deep Financial Trouble
Microsoft has been faking its financial performance for years
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, May 07, 2024
IRC logs for Tuesday, May 07, 2024
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
[Video] Leaving Microsoft Behind for the Sake of National Security
Threats to "National Security" aren't some users with an Android phone but Microsoft at the root of things
GNU/Linux and ChromeOS Now at 6% in France, According to statCounter
numbers from statCounter
Gemini Links 07/05/2024: Music Spotlight and Network Knobs
Links for the day
Only Weeks After Microsoft Closed Offices and Studios It is Closing Several More (Many Layoffs, Still Deeply Debt-Saddled)
When the sad news writes itself
Bolivarian Republic Of Venezuela: GNU/Linux Reaches 9% (ChromeOS Included)
Venezuela must have lost interest in some American proprietary software when users were locked out of their own data (Adobe) and the costs could no longer be justified
[Video] Microsoft is Like Big Oil, Big Tobacco, and Other Perpetrators of Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt/Fear-mongering
openwashing, Microsoft lobbying, and Microsoft subsidies (e.g. bailouts in the form of 'defence' contracts)
Security & Debian: Urgent: New Feed URLs after another WIPO censorship
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
World Press Freedom Day: WIPO censors Debian suicide cluster
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Gemini Links 07/05/2024: Smashing Windows (Moving to GNU/Linux) and Mastodon Time-wasting
Links for the day
Links 07/05/2024: Pulitzer for Supreme Court Expose, New Threats to Media Reported
Links for the day
Links 07/05/2024: Cheap EVs and Cloudflare Layoffs
Links for the day
Berlin police declined to investigate FSFE Nazi comparisons
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
[Meme] Communities Governed by Parasitic Elements and Girlfriends (Who Can't Understand Those Communities)
Karen Sandler and Molly de Blanc present at DebConf18
[Meme] You Can't Kill an Idea (or Facts)
Thankfully, in Western societies, there's still due process, rule of law etc. You don't just hire assassins or imprison critics
[Meme] Software in the Public Interest (SPI), Inc, Values Articles of Daniel Pocock at ~$5,000 Each (and Fails to Hide the Facts)
we are laughing, not grieving
IRC Proceedings: Monday, May 06, 2024
IRC logs for Monday, May 06, 2024
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
[Meme] About 2,564 Internet Sites Now at Risk of Hostile Takeover by Microsoft-Sponsored Software in the Public Interest (SPI)
WIPO censors Debian suicide cluster
Links 07/05/2024: Burning Plastic Waste, Facebook Censoring Politicians
Links for the day
Gemini Links 07/05/2024: Smashing Windows (Microsoft Losing Users to GNU/Linux), Sixty Years of BASIC
Links for the day